


pianoforte

by malteserscoffee



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff, Levi can play the piano, M/M, and eren likes it, really well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 20:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8175836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malteserscoffee/pseuds/malteserscoffee
Summary: He first heard the music when he was on cleaning duty in the dining halls.





	

He first heard the music when he was on cleaning duty in the dining halls.

He knew somebody was playing the piano – just who? And how was the person so skilled at it? The notes were faint but still had melody to it. It was the sort of music you would hear at a wedding banquet, after the ceremony was over. Soft but still something that would make you wants to hear more.

Almost unconsciously, Eren placed his mop against the wall and walked out into the corridor. He turned left and walked until the music was so loud it seemed to be played against his ear.

As he got even closer to the music, he noticed he reached Corporal Levi’s office. Wait; was it Corporal who was playing the piano? If it was him, how was he so good? Who taught him?

Most importantly, where the fuck did the piano come from?

Almost like the player heard Eren’s thoughts (or his footsteps, he wasn’t the quietest walker), the playing stopped. Eren heard footsteps from inside the room coming up to the door.

Eren turned and ran. Whoever was inside obviously didn’t want anyone to hear, and Eren wasn’t going to take the risk of facing that person.

But whoever that was Eren just hoped they would play again.

***

The second time, Eren was in bed reading.

The candlelight was not much reading light however it was sufficient enough to see the words. Eren had been trying to improve on his reading as well. He tried to concentrate. Armin always told him time and time again that he will never improve if he doesn’t concentrate.

His mind kept wandering off to a certain short man. Levi had been occupying his mind for nearly two weeks now. For some reason he was always over analysing every little thing that Levi did. If he accidentally brushed past Eren in the corridors or even insulted him, Eren’s stupid heart would try to find out exactly how fast it can beat.

Mikasa and Armin seemed to notice his odd behaviour. Jean made fun of him and kept making kissy faces behind Levi’s back whenever Eren and Levi were in the same room together. Hange winked at him if and when Levi spoke to him. The only people not making fun of him were Mikasa and Armin. Mikasa glared daggers into Levi’s back and Armin just gave sympathetic looks at Eren.

It bugged Eren to the core. He just wanted peace, at least emotionally. He was sure that Levi wouldn’t even like him as a friend. He was just too dumb for him.

Besides Levi, he had another person who seemed to capture his attention – the mysterious piano player. Whoever he was he was good. Eren wanted to find out who it was so bad. The curiosity kept ebbing away at him.

Most of all Eren wanted to hear him play again.

It was like this pianist could hear Eren’s thoughts; the same music from the week before made Eren perk up. He pushed his blanket off him, set his book down and tried to get out of bed.

No, he was shackled. He couldn’t get out even if he turned into a titan. Not that he would of course. Eren strained his ears trying to catch the music again.

The same notes were a relief to hear. Eren wanted the music to be closer, louder. He wanted to hear it more clearly, until he could truly appreciate it. The notes seemed to be like the smell of chocolate: sweet, soft and soothing. His ears were flooded with the notes of the piano. He could practically see the slender fingers playing the keys. He felt each note imprinting itself into his brain.

It was faint and shorter than before. Not more than three minutes had passed before the music stopped. When it did stop, Eren imagined the pianist getting up from the chair, closing the lid of the piano, and walking to the door. He could imagine the same slender fingers grasping the doorknob. He wanted to hear him again.

Whoever he was, his music was the solution to Eren’s problems, a soothing end to a maybe stressful day.

And every day, Eren strived to hear him play again.

***

After the second time, Eren didn’t hear anything for _three months_. Either the pianist lost interest, found out he had a spectator or died after the second time. Eren tried to listen so hard. He stopped and listened every now and then when he was cleaning. At night, he would try to strain his ears so hard that once his ears bled. He wanted to hear the piano again. He wanted to meet the pianist.

So, he woke up that morning ready to find the pianist.

He spent the morning ignoring the strange looks he got from “people” (Jean), and trying to draw up a list of people who the pianist could be (it was not Captain Levi, he was sure).

He spent the afternoon lounging in the stables washing it and tending to the horses. He heard footsteps behind and he didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Eren saluted Levi as he walked in. “Good afternoon sir, it’s a wonderful day right?” Eren smiled. Levi leaned against a wooden beam, his arms crossed at his chest. His eyes scanned over the feeding trough that Eren was cleaning.

“Tch, you aren’t doing it right brat,” Levi walked over to where Eren was standing. Eren straightened his form a bit more. He handed over the sponge over to Levi; he kneeled carefully on the ground so that he is crouching on his heels.  

As Levi cleaned the “not done properly” spot, Eren tried to make conversation.

“So, uh what are up to sir?” Eren asked.

“What’s it to you brat?” Levi turned to look at Eren. Eren face fell. He sighed and turned to grab another sponge and worked on the other wall.

“Oi, there is no need to look like a kicked puppy. And I’m just taking usual rounds around the castle. Shitty glasses wanted me to remind you to meet her in the dungeons later tonight, by the way,” Levi said without looking up from the spot.

“Oh, thank you for telling me. Captain, another question: Can you play the piano?”

Levi froze. He slowly lowered the sponge and stood. He dropped the sponge into the bucket.

“I have work to do Jaeger,” he announced, walking out the stables. He stopped near the entrance and turned his head to look at Eren who was very scared by then.

“And Eren, don’t try to pry into things that don’t concern you.”

“But, it's good hearing you play,” Eren whispered.

***

It’s been 6 months since Eren heard Levi play. He knew it was his captain because of how odd he acted when Eren asked whether he plays the piano. It confirmed his suspicions and even though it’s a bit odd to hear, it made him feel a little happier.

He gave up trying to catch Levi in the act. He usually doesn’t give up but he knew all his efforts were fruitless and he should probably lie off before he becomes completely infatuated with hearing Levi play again and loses his drive to kill Titans.

“Come with me Eren. I will be taking you to your room today,” Mike put one hand on Eren’s shoulder making him turn his head. Eren slowly got up and took his plate to keep for washing. He followed Mike out of the dining hall. 

“Hey Mike, where’s Corporal? He usually takes me to my room,” he asked. Mike looked back before he opened the door and ushered Eren into his room.

“Corporal Levi is busy with some work. It’s best if no one interrupts him, and besides you are okay with me taking you to your room, right?”

“I guess so,” Eren took his pyjamas and closed the bathroom door behind. He quickly changed and when he came out Mike was looking at his desk with an incredulous expression on his face.

“What are you looking at?” Eren followed Mike’s gaze and when he saw the object of interest his ears turned so red he was sure he was evaporating.

“That is, uh, something that Hanji gave to me for research purposes. Yep that’s it!” Eren said looking at the ceiling in hopes that it could crash down on his head and hopefully give Mike amnesia or something. Why didn’t he keep Levi’s shirt that he borrowed under his pillow like he always does? Why today of all days especially?

“Look, don’t tell anyone alright? I’ll give a whole gold coin,” he tried to negotiate.

“It’s all right kid, I won’t tell. But don’t let your crush go too far,” Mike winked at him, chained Eren and closed the door behind him.

After he left, Eren shoved his head into his pillow and bit down hard on his lip wanting to dig a hole and crawl in to die. At that moment he wanted burn that shirt.

He just really wanted to sleep right now.

***

Eren woke up and out of instinct strained his ears.

And for the first time in 6 months, he heard the notes he often dreamed about.

It was Captain Levi playing the piano once more. Eren closed his eyes and smiled.

Would Levi stop playing after this time or would he continue? Eren desperately hoped it was the latter.

To tell the truth, Levi was really talented at playing the piano. He seemed like someone who had gotten a lot of practice. It was not only the obvious skill that he possessed, but each note he played seemed to have life. It was as if he put his heart and soul into playing it. Eren could already imagine what it would look like. Levi hunched over the piano, slender hands briefly touching each key. The notes flooding his own ears like it did to Eren, making the room a little bit livelier. Making each key he played sound that heavenly was near impossible and Eren knew it. However, Levi managed to make it sound like child’s play.

Eren sank back into the pillow and slowly fell asleep. For the first time, with the piano playing still, Eren slept without a dream.

***

Since then, every night, Eren would wake up and hear the piano playing.

Since then, every night, Eren would sleep with no nightmares.

He really wanted to thank Corporal.

***

“Come along kid, we’re already late,” Mike gestured with his hand motioning for Eren to stand up. Since the shirt incident, Mike has been taking Eren to the cellar. Levi was always “busy”. And Eren never forgot to keep the shirt under the pillow.

“Good Night guys,” Eren sat up and brushed off dust from his pants. Mikasa nodded and Armin smiled.

Eren followed Mike down the stairs, when he heard _it._

The familiar piano notes once again sounded through the hallway. Eren was used to hearing it in the middle of the night when everyone else was sleeping, but not when everybody was awake.

“Hey, do you hear that? I heard that piano once before but – what the—what are you doing? Come back here you fool!” Mike yelled as Eren ran up the stairs two steps at a time.

Eren didn’t pay any attention to Mike’s screaming. He turned around the corner and ran at full speed not caring that Mike is running behind him shouting, which is probably resulting in many odd looks.

Eren ran until he reached Corporal’s office, and finally after so long he could hear the piano _clearly._

By the walls, Eren was basically foaming at the mouth when he heard the first notes play.

He put his ear against the door to hear better.

The music were so delicate, it felt like glass. Eren wanted to close his eyes, and crawl into a bed sleeping to the music in the background. The magic of the notes pulled at his heart. It felt like home. Warmth engulfed his body and a sudden happiness made him clutch at his shirt.

He started crying. But he didn’t care.

The sound of the piano playing combined with the emotions mixed into it made him taste his own tears. And he was glad he was crying. It felt relieving in a soothing way.

It felt like care and hope.

Eren touched the door- handle and pushed down. He sucked in his breath as he saw the sight in front of him.

Levi was sitting at a grand piano, his back facing Eren. The window was open causing the curtains to fly and the moon casting a shadow on the elder’s face. The room was dark, the only source of light being the moonlight.

Levi didn’t seem to notice Eren (or he was fully aware of Eren’s presence and just ignored him). Eren inched closer careful to shut the door quietly behind him.

He let the music flood into him and seep into each fibre of his body. He closed his eyes once more allowing the music to take him.

And they were like that for a long time. Just the two of them, Levi still playing the piano and Eren, eyes closed, in a trance like state.

“Oi, get up and stop crying for god’s sake,” Levi knelt down at Eren’s level.

“Huh?” Eren opened his eyes suddenly hyper-aware of the tears rolling down his cheeks for the second time. He was kneeling on the ground with Levi being a bit too close for comfort. Eren’s ears immediately went red.

Levi simply took a handkerchief and brought it to Eren’s face wiping the tears away as Eren looked at him in amazement (and embarrassment).

“You are amazing, sir,” The words left Eren’s mouth before it registered in his head. When it did though, his face reddened.

“I, uh, mean that, err,” Eren stuttered.

Levi sighed and stood up, turning his face to the window.

“What did I tell you about not poking your nose in other’s businesses, Eren?” Levi asked.

Eren didn’t respond at first, happy that Levi called him by his first name.

“I’m sorry sir. It’s just that I…” Eren trailed off.

“I?”

“I like the way you play the piano sir,” Eren stood up and his hands curled into a fist as he squared his shoulders.

“Oh,” Levi drawled. “Is that so?”

“Yes, sir”

“In that case, why don’t go back to the cellar? Poor Mike must be looking for you everywhere,” Levi briefly touched Eren’s shoulder causing a shock down his spine.

“Yes, sir. Good Night sir,” Eren said at a lower octave and turned around to open the door.

“And Eren,”

“What is it, sir?”

“I’ll play the piano for you again when you win against the Titans, Eren. I promise you I will,” Levi said firmly staring at Eren with a determination he never saw the man possess.

Eren grinned. “I would love that sir. Thank you, sir.”

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever fanfic in the SNK fandom, and I'm glad it is for Ereri. Since it is my first work, I appreciate constructive criticism and if you find mistakes or parts you might want me to improve when I am writing other fics, do tell. Also leave a kudos if you enjoyed it.
> 
> Beta-ed by my mother, because she wanted to read it and ended up giving me advice to improve.
> 
> tumblr: blacklikemydarksoul


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